


Quiet

by Scutter



Series: On the Periphery [7]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-24
Updated: 2013-09-24
Packaged: 2017-12-27 12:34:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/978942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scutter/pseuds/Scutter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shepard's thoughts as he lies in the ruins of the citadel.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Quiet

For so long, there has been a terrible cacophony in his head. The screams of the dead. The whispers of mistakes. The laughter of comrades, the quiet rustle of doubts. Plans, strategies, contingencies, all fighting for air time, all pestering him, wanting to be voiced, wanting action. And along with the voices in his head were the real live voices of a billion people. Politicians, councilors, crew members, friends, enemies. The voice of Leviathan, the voice of Harbinger, of Sovereign, of the Illusive Man. Even in his alone-time, the voices kept on at him, vids, messages, little chirps on his omni-tool, reports to be filed, questions to be answered. 

Noise. 

Everywhere.

All the time.

 

 

But now there is silence. Shepard lies still in the ruins of the Citadel. The Catalyst is dead. The Illusive Man is dead. Anderson is dead.

Kaidan is dead. He died on the final run to the beam, caught in the reaper’s laser.

There is nothing left to live for, but not due to any hopeless despair. There is nothing left to live for because he has done everything there was to be done. He’s filed all the reports. He’s made all the speeches. He’s fought every last enemy, and won. He’s loved, and lost, and loved again. 

He has finished.

So now, he lies in the ruins, still, quiet. The voices have all gone, now. The living have their own problems to deal with. The dead hear the bell that tolls, know that he will join them soon.

There is nothing left to do.

And finally, after so long, after so much noise…

Finally, it is quiet.


End file.
